diff --git a/lib/jam_websockets.rb b/lib/jam_websockets.rb
index b09be5a42..a2e24ee9e 100644
--- a/lib/jam_websockets.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_websockets.rb
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ require "jam_ruby"
 require "jam_websockets/version"
 require "jam_websockets/session_error"
 require "jam_websockets/client_context"
+require "jam_websockets/message"
 require "jam_websockets/router"
 require "jam_websockets/server"
 
 include JamRuby
-
 module JamWebsockets
   # Your code goes here...
 end
diff --git a/lib/jam_websockets/message.rb b/lib/jam_websockets/message.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..edfb31482
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/jam_websockets/message.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+require 'json'
+require 'protocol_buffers'
+require 'protocol_buffers/compiler'
+
+class ProtocolBuffers::Message
+
+  def to_json(*args)
+    hash = {'json_class' => self.class.name}
+
+    # simpler version, includes all fields in the output, using the default
+    # values if unset. also includes empty repeated fields as empty arrays.
+    # fields.each do |tag, field|
+    #   hash[field.name] = value_for_tag(field.tag)
+    # end
+
+    # prettier output, only includes non-empty repeated fields and set fields
+    fields.each do |tag, field|
+      if field.repeated?
+        value = value_for_tag(field.tag)
+        hash[field.name] = value unless value.empty?
+      else
+        hash[field.name] = value_for_tag(field.tag) if value_for_tag?(field.tag)
+      end
+    end
+    hash.to_json(*args)
+  end
+
+  def self.json_create(hash)
+    hash.delete('json_class')
+
+    # initialize takes a hash of { attribute_name => value } so you can just
+    # pass the hash into the constructor. but we're supposed to be showing off
+    # reflection, here. plus, that raises an exception if there is an unknown
+    # key in the hash.
+    # new(hash)
+
+    message = new
+    fields.each do |tag, field|
+      if value = hash[field.name.to_s]
+        message.set_value_for_tag(field.tag, value)
+      end
+    end
+    message
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb b/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
index 3eefb729e..4f2512231 100644
--- a/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ require 'pry'
 require 'set'
 require 'hot_bunnies'
 require 'thread'
+require 'json'
 
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors
 
@@ -227,8 +228,14 @@ module JamWebsockets
 				@pending_clients.add(client)
 			end
 
+			is_json = false
+
 			client.onopen {
+				#binding.pry
 				@log.debug "client connected #{client}"
+
+				p client.request["query"]
+				is_json = !!client.request["query"]["json"]
 			}
 
 			client.onclose {
@@ -254,9 +261,18 @@ module JamWebsockets
         # TODO: set a max message size before we put it through PB?
         # TODO: rate limit?
 
+				
         begin
-					pb_msg = Jampb::ClientMessage.parse(msg.to_s)
-          self.route(pb_msg, client)
+					if is_json 
+#{"type":100, "target":"server", "Login" : {"username":"hi"}} 
+						parse = JSON.parse(msg)
+						p parse
+						pb_msg = Jampb::ClientMessage.json_create(parse)
+						p pb_msg
+					else
+						pb_msg = Jampb::ClientMessage.parse(msg.to_s)
+						self.route(pb_msg, client)
+					end
 				rescue SessionError => e
 					@log.info "ending client session deliberately due to malformed client behavior. reason=#{e}"
 					begin